Bracket for collapsible stand



July 29, 1958 1 ORMAN 1 2,845,317

BRACKET FOR COLLAPSIBLE STAND Fiied June 15, 1957 INVENTOR L EONAR D ORMAN ATTORNEYS United States Patent Oflice 2,845,317 Patented July 29, 1958 BRACKET FOR COLLAPSIBLE STAND Leonard Orman, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application June 13, 1957, Serial No. 665,423

2 Claims. (Cl. 311-79) My invention relates to a stand with a detachable tray and more particularly relates to a collapsible stand which in open position may support the tray in a horizontal plane but which when collapsed, may be folded to a substantially flat form.

In the present day mode of living, with small apartments and houses in which there is a dearth of storage room, it has become increasingly necessary to use compact, convertible or collapsible devices so as to have one device do the Work of several, but having provisions wherein the device may be collapsed into a flat unit to easily fit within a small storage space.

Stands of this general type have been characterized by arrangements which afford an unstable structure when the stand in open position is small and not unattractive in appearance.

Other objects of my invention are to provide an improved device of the character described, that is easily and economically produced, which is sturdy in construction, and which is highly eflicient in operation.

With the above and related objects in view, my invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a collapsible stand embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a bracket which is pivotally mounted upon the legs of the stand and which retains the legs in secure op en position.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front View showing the pivotal arrangement of the bracket with respect to adjacent legs.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side view thereof.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawing in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts, I show a collapsible stand comprising a stand portion, generally designated as A, a pair of brackets pivotally connected to the stand, generally designated as B, and a tray, generally designated as C.

The stand portion A comprises a pair of U-shaped members A1 and A2, each of which has a pair of legs and 12 extending from a closed bight portion 14. Adjacent legs 10 are pivotally connected to each other by a swivel n'vet 16 and are spaced from each other by the bracket B, which is similarly pivoted on the rivet 16. Correspondingly in an identical fashion, the adjacent legs 12 are pivotally engaged to each other by a rivet 16, again the legs being spaced by the bracket B.

While the U-shaped members A1 and A2 may be of any general cross section such as tubular or of solid construction, I prefer to have them fabricated of channeled aluminum or steel.

The bracket member B comprises a single sheet metal stamping having a plurality of ears 20, 22, 24 and 26, extending at right angles from a flat portion 28. The planar construction of the bracket member B is of an X-like shape. The ears 20 and 22 on one diagonal extend in one direction, whereas the ears 24 and 26 on the other diagonal extend in the opposite direction from the flat portion 28. The center of the fiat portion 28 is apertured at 30 to receive the rivet 16 which passes therethrough and as is easily seen from Figs. 3 and 4, the ears 20 and 22 restrict the maximum open position of the legs on the stand portion. This is accomplished by the ears 20 and 22 restraining the pivotal movement of U-shaped member A1, while ears 24 and 26 restrain U-shaped member A2. Immediately above the aperture 36, the flat portion 28 is indented outwardly in the same direction as the cars 20 and 22 to form a dimple 32, Whereas a dimple 34 below the aperture 30 is indented oppositely in the same direction as cars 24 and 26. Thus, while the maximum extension of the legs is secured by the respective ears on the bracket B, the dimple 32 acts as a stop for the U-shaped member A1 while the dimple 34 acts as a stop for the U-shaped member A2 whereby a restriction is provided preventing collapsing of these members without positive urging beyond the position of the dimples.

The lower portion of each of the legs 10 and 12 has a plastic or rubber button 36 mounted thereon to prevent scratching of the floor when the table is open, closed or slid about.

The tray C is preferably formed of metal and has a central portion 40 which is substantially flat and a curved otf-set marginal portion 42 extending continuously thereabout terminating in a curled edge of beaded portion 44. The overall width of the tray C is substantially equal to the maximum space between the bight portions 14 of the stand when the stand is in open position. Thus the marginal edges of the tray rest snugly upon the bight portion 14 and form a table therewith.

Although my invention has been described in considerable detail, suchdescription is intended as being illustrative rather than limiting, since the invention may be variously embodied, and the scope of the invention is to be determined as claimed.

, I claim as my invention:

1. In a collapsible stand having a pair of U-shaped support members pivotally secured to each other by a pin intermediate the ends of adjacent leg portions, a bracket comprising a planar portion of substantially X-shaped configuration pivotally mounted on said pin and spaced between adjacent leg portions, a pair of cars extending outwardly at right angles from said planar portion on one diagonal thereof, and a second pair of ears extending inwardly at right angles from said planar portion on the other diagonal thereof whereby the pivotal opening movement of said support members may be limited.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein oppositely disposed dimples are indented from each face of said planar portion to resiliently lock said support members in maximum open position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

